Facebook birthday charity donations

[ThisIsTheDay]

Shortly before your birthday, Facebook will remind you that you can request birthday donations to a charity.  I'm considering this for a favorite local charity.  But how likely would you be to donate? Or do you get annoyed when you see these? 

Other thoughts about this,  please?

[SereneHome]

I don't get annoyed but I don't donate either.  I know  to what charities  and when I want to donate, I don't need someone's bday to be a reason for my donations.

Also, I find asking for donations (whether charity or otherwise) as presents is tacky tacky tacky. I know that this is very popular now-days, but I've yet to see a reasoning behind it that would make me change my opinion.

 

[Frances]

I’m not on Facebook, but I think it’s strange to ask for anything for one’s birthday, even a donation. Except for perhaps close family members, do adults really give each other birthday gifts? I wouldn’t be annoyed, but I also wouldn’t donate. The only time I donate because of someone else is in memory of someone who has passed or who struggled with a certain disease or condition.

[Ellie]

I don't donate to any of them.

Although the causes may be worthy, I still don't think people should be telling other people what to get them for their birthdays.

[Ali in OR]

I've never done one of the birthday charities, but I did donate to my dd's old ballet performance group from a facebook charity thing (they're a non-profit), and I've donated to some family things--nephews' sports teams, my sister's breast cancer fundraiser, etc. I've done a few gofundmes too. But I don't usually recognize acquaintances' birthdays with cards or gifts, so I'm not likely to give to their charities on their birthdays. But I don't mind seeing what they support.

[Pawz4me]

I think it's kind of tacky.

Donations to a worthy cause in lieu of flowers after a death? Fine and good.

For a birthday--no.

[ThisIsTheDay]

Thank you all very much. It is interesting to read the comments, because it's not "in lieu" of a birthday gift, obviously I would not be expecting a gift from any of my friends. But this is EXACTLY why I asked here, to get your thoughts on it! I will skip on the opportunity. 🙂

[May]

I’ve been wondering about this newer trend🧐I could never imagine asking people for a birthday gift or to donate to a cause I would pick.

[Melissa B]

I've donated to two family members' birthday requests. I know these charities have been close to their hearts for years. They aren't large donations. I see it as a way to send a little love to a family member and benefit society at the same time. I don't really see it as asking for a birthday present, rather it is utilizing one's birthday as an opportunity to help raise money for a charity that one supports regularly throughout the year. I am not put off when I see them from other people I know,  but I don't donate either. 

[Soror]

I find them weird, if I dont' usually give you a gift why would I donate to a charity in lieu of that gift. I hate it, hate it. 

[marbel]

I don't think it really has anything to do with a birthday gift, it's just a way for people to generate donations for a cause. (Well, I imagine Facebook benefits in some way.)  For some people, I'm sure it's a nice opportunity to put something they care about in front of people and say "hey, this is a good cause, want to donate to it?"  The birthday thing maybe adds a dimension of guilt, maybe that's too strong a word, maybe just increases the chances people will donate.  For some people, it's a form of virtue-signaling - "look at what good thing I'm doing." Same for the people who publicly donate to them.  

I've never done one (I don't have my birthday in Facebook anyway, I don't see the point of soliciting birthday wishes from people who wouldn't remember it if Facebook didn't remind them) and I have never donated to one.  If I saw something I wanted to donate to I would do it privately on the organization's website.   I don't really care if people do it; I just scroll on by. Well, sometimes I roll my eyes just a little bit on the way past.

[PrincessMommy]

I've hidden my birthday simply because it feels intrusive.  Only very few people outside of my family will contact me to wish me a happy birthday, and i have no desire to broadcast it to FB.  

I agree with others about the tackiness of the charity birthday donations.  I'm not offended either, but I don't donate either. 

Also, another person who doesn't write happy birthday on people's timelines.  

 

[Amira]

I don’t donate on FB and I don’t ask for donations on my birthday, but I like it when friends post about birthday donations. I don’t think of it as soliciting donations in place of a gift, and I like seeing what causes my friends are interested in.  I don’t think it’s tacky at all.  Even though I don’t donate, I’ve learned about many different organizations that are doing good things.

[73349]

I don't go through Facebook for anything that would lead to a financial transaction.

That said, a significant percentage of my Friends are close friends/family and if they did want to buy something for my birthday, I'd rather a donation to one of my favorite causes--I just don't make it a FB event.

[J-rap]

I haven't noticed those because I'm not on Facebook much.  I generally don't donate to a random cause that I know nothing about.  But, I don't mind when people ask for a donation in lieu of a gift for special events.  Some people truly don't want anymore THINGs, and are way more interested in helping out others.  So if the point of giving a gift (for a birthday or whatever) is to make the person happy, why not give what makes them happy?  (Obviously I wouldn't give to a charity that I was uncomfortable about giving to.)   Of course they're not saying you must give a gift either.  But most people do tend to give gifts.

I have had friends participate in causes like a long run or bike event in order to raise money for it, and who ask for donations on Facebook.  I don't mind that.  If they want to ride their bikes 500 miles and earn money to help a good cause, I certainly don't mind giving a little.  (I also know I don't have to give either, and they wouldn't hold it against me.)

[Pronghorn]

Sometimes, donating is a way to encourage someone who is feeling down. Raising a little money for a cause helps them feel like their lives are meaningful.

[guilfordlake]

I'm happy to make a $5 or $10 donation to a charity that someone cares about, but I'm old-fashioned enough to expect an acknowledgement of said donation from the person who wanted the donation made. Just a simple 2-word "thank you" post.

I did it for a family member who posted about it. I was happy to do it. And this is a family member I'm not close to so I wouldn't normally have sent a card or gift. It's a cause that she is very, very passionate about. And while I'm not as passionate, I could get behind it.  She never acknowledged that I made the donation. I'll never make another donation for her again. 😒

[Guest]

Count me among those who find it annoying and a bit self-important. I have participated in fundraisers through FB a couple of time, for people whose cause I really want to support, but asking on your birthday seems presumptuous to me. 

I have noticed FB will also prompt me that I can set up a donation when I make certain kinds of posts. That annoys me because I feel like, “What?! I was just telling people about the church rumage sale; I’m not trying to drum up donations!” 🙄

[Bambam]

I don't like it. It feels like subtle pressure to give someone a bday present by contributing to their favorite charity (which I may or may not be willing to support).

I ignore them. I find it slightly tacky. Why not post your birthday present wish list while you are at it?